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Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of a cationic polymer in aqueous solution with a convenient electrochemical method

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Abstract

Quaternized chitosan is a cationic biopolymer with good antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, and it has been widely applied in many fields. We have developed a convenient method to evaluate the antibacterial activity of hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) with a nonionic surfactant poloxamer in aqueous solution by monitoring the change of the oxidation peak current in cyclic voltammetry. Increasing values of the oxidation peak current were positively correlated with the antibacterial activity of HACC–poloxamer solutions. Optical microscope images, the zeta potential, and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the aggregation state of HACC–poloxamer was related to the ratio of the two polymers and also to the antibacterial activity and oxidation peak current. At an HACC-to-poloxamer ratio of 1:0.75, the maximum surface charge density and the smooth edge of HACC–poloxamer aggregates can accelerate diffusion in aqueous solution. It is expected that this convenient method can be applied for a quick evaluation of the antibacterial activity of cationic biopolymers in aqueous solution.

The cyclic voltammograms of MB in HACC/poloxamer solution, and the antibacterial efficiency against S. aureus after incubated with HACC (a) and 1/0.75 of HACC/poloxamer (b)

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundations of China (81571812), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (1107047002), and Hydron Contact Lens Co. (8507040152).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211189, China

    Yihong Wang, Qing Guo, Huafu Wang, Kun Qian, Liang Tian, Chen Yao, Wei Song & Jinxu Qi

  2. Hydron Contact Lens Co. Ltd., Danyang, Jiangsu, 212331, China

    Weixia Shu & Ping Chen

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  1. Yihong Wang
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  2. Qing Guo
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  3. Huafu Wang
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Correspondence to Yihong Wang.

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Wang, Y., Guo, Q., Wang, H. et al. Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of a cationic polymer in aqueous solution with a convenient electrochemical method. Anal Bioanal Chem 409, 1627–1633 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-0105-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-0105-9

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